aa Quick reference
A Dictionary of Environment and Conservation (3 ed.)
Volcanic **lava rock that is thick and porous and has a rough, jagged surface when it cools. It
abandoned well Quick reference
A Dictionary of Environment and Conservation (3 ed.)
Any *well that has not been used for a long time and/or is not properly sealed, and is so
abatement Quick reference
A Dictionary of Environment and Conservation (3 ed.)
The elimination or reduction of emissions that create *pollution. Examples include smoke abatement and noise abatement.
abatement debris Quick reference
A Dictionary of Environment and Conservation (3 ed.)
Waste materials produced by *remediation activities.
Abbey, Edward (1927–89) Quick reference
A Dictionary of Environment and Conservation (3 ed.)
who wrote the book *Desert Solitaire and is remembered for his strong criticism of public land policies and his
abiotic Quick reference
A Dictionary of Environment and Conservation (3 ed.)
Devoid of life, not *biotic, non‐biological. That part of a natural environment that comprises only chemical or physical
ablation Quick reference
A Dictionary of Environment and Conservation (3 ed.)
1. The process by which *snow or *ice is lost from a *glacier or *ice cap
ablation zone Quick reference
A Dictionary of Environment and Conservation (3 ed.)
The lower part of a *glacier, where in the course of a year more ice is lost by
abrasion Quick reference
A Dictionary of Environment and Conservation (3 ed.)
The *physical weathering or mechanical weathering of rock or sediment by running water, glaciers, or wind loaded with fine
absolute age Quick reference
A Dictionary of Environment and Conservation (3 ed.)
Age that is expressed in number of years, rather than age relative to a particular event. In geology absolute age
absolute chronology Quick reference
A Dictionary of Environment and Conservation (3 ed.)
A *chronology that determines the age of a feature or event in years. Contrast relative chronology.
absolute dating Quick reference
A Dictionary of Environment and Conservation (3 ed.)
A range of methods for determining the *absolute age of an object or material, for example using *radiometric
absolute humidity Quick reference
A Dictionary of Environment and Conservation (3 ed.)
A measure of *humidity, or the actual mass of *water vapour in a given volume of air,
absolute instability Quick reference
A Dictionary of Environment and Conservation (3 ed.)
The meteorological condition in which a rising *parcel of air continues to rise because the *dry adiabatic lapse
absolute poverty Quick reference
A Dictionary of Environment and Conservation (3 ed.)
An extreme state of *poverty, in which the standard of living is below the minimum that is needed
absolute relief Quick reference
A Dictionary of Environment and Conservation (3 ed.)
The maximum elevation of a particular area above *sea level. Contrast relative relief.
absolute scarcity Quick reference
A Dictionary of Environment and Conservation (3 ed.)
A condition that exists when there is not enough of a *resource in existence to satisfy existing demand for
absolute zero Quick reference
A Dictionary of Environment and Conservation (3 ed.)
A temperature of −273.15°C, −459.67°F, the zero point on the *Kelvin temperature scale, at which atomic and molecular motion
absorb Quick reference
A Dictionary of Environment and Conservation (3 ed.)
To take something in (such as the penetration of a solid substance by a liquid, by capillary, osmotic, solvent, or
absorbed dose Quick reference
A Dictionary of Environment and Conservation (3 ed.)
The amount (*dose) of a chemical substance that is absorbed by, and thus enters the body of,
